Jessica Chastain on Broadway In The Heiress: My Review

A well made play by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from Henry James' 1880 novel Washington Square, The Heiress is back in a sturdy if not revelatory production.

The play was last on Broadway in 1995, in a stunning revival starring Cherry Jones as Catherine Sloper, the shy plain Jane who's awakened by a questionable man's affections.

This time, in a production directed by Moises Kaufman, we're reminded that the play's merits aren't its bouts of exposition or its occasionally banal chatter.

It's the way the complex dynamics play out between father and daughter, and daughter and potential husband.

The relationships take surprising turns--even when dad's cynicism is on target, Catherine finds it unnecessarily cruel--as the heiress herself becomes distant and hardened, admitting she's learned how to do so from masters.

Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain is a fine actress who seems incapable of a false move, giving a naturalistic performance, though I found some of her moments flat, needing a bit more awakened fire.

David Strathairn is very good as her father, never going for easy villainy, even as he belittles Catherine and says her main value is her money.

Judith Ivey is full of verve as the meddlesome aunt who'd love a happy ending, especially if she could get points for having engineered it.

And Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens makes his Broadway debut as Morris, the suitor with a lust for, I mean heart of gold. Stevens is a bit too transparent in Act One, but more effective in the second half, when he gets another chance at going for broke and wooing the rich girl.

The set by Derek McLane and costumes by Albert Wolsky are top notch, and though this Heiress doesn't pack the wallop it could, it has an integrity that Morris the suitor can't seem to fathom.